Editorial The party which wins the next general election will be the party which presents to the electorate, in the clearest and most convincing way, a view of the role of the state in the society. No one knows what the position of the Labour Party is on the role and size of the state. Keir … Continue reading Sunak’s Agenda is Labour’s Opportunity
Economic Policy
What is socialism?
by John Martin This is written from an Irish perspective but opens up the discussion for Britain too. If socialism is defined by how its political representatives act, then its elements can be described quite clearly. In the Irish context socialists tend to distrust the State. All actions by the State are suspect. The State … Continue reading What is socialism?
Transformative Socialist Economics
IT'S TIME FOR TRANSFORMATIVE SOCIALIST ECONOMICS: AN OCCASIONAL SHORT READING AND VIEWING GUIDE Michael Murray (1) The problem stated: "The Labour Party believes that a Labour government can only spend what it has levied in taxation, or borrowed from the private sector. But it also wants to be a party of low taxation and low national … Continue reading Transformative Socialist Economics
The Government and China
This Month in Parliament 2 Questions in Parliament, 24th November 2021 Matthew Pennycook (Lab) Q7. The Government’s integrated review has concluded that the Chinese state poses a systemic challenge to our national security, and the Prime Minister has made it clear that when it comes to China, we must remain vigilant about our critical national infrastructure. … Continue reading The Government and China
How to pay for it. The case of Universal Credit
By Michal Lerner To win the next general election, Labour must give bold answers to the question ‘How will you pay for it?’. Let us therefore imagine an interview between an interviewer (I) and a member of the Shadow Cabinet (L) and suggest how the dreaded question should be dealt with in the context of … Continue reading How to pay for it. The case of Universal Credit
Editorial 1 — Labour Must Exploit Tory Divisions
The most important political battle in British politics is currently taking place in the Conservative party. There is, of course, also a political battle taking place in the Labour Party, but it is of a different kind. In the Labour Party, the party machine is being used to suppress the discussion of any radical ideas. In contrast, in … Continue reading Editorial 1 — Labour Must Exploit Tory Divisions
The Levellers — Editorial 1
Keir Starmer repeats, at every opportunity, that his main objective is to win the next general election. This is a welcome change of objective. In 2019 Starmer seemed determined to lose that general election. Labour lost the 2019 general election because they attempted to reverse the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum. Starmer was the main architect of … Continue reading The Levellers — Editorial 1
Starmer, Sunak’s Unwitting Ally — Editorial 2
Brexit offered a real opportunity for the working class. With Corbyn, while not exactly in control of the ship (as we’ve subsequently realised), at least being somewhere on the Bridge, there was the prospect that the opportunity might have been taken advantage of. Alas and alack, such was the incoherent basis of his support (incapable … Continue reading Starmer, Sunak’s Unwitting Ally — Editorial 2
Where’s Sid?
Privatisations: The aftermath. by Feargus ORaghallaigh At a time when even rightwing newspapers like ‘The Times’ and ‘The Daily Telegraph’ are lamenting the failures of the privatisation of public services and the Labour leadership is afraid to talk of returning them to public ownership, it is a good idea to remind ourselves of how this … Continue reading Where’s Sid?
Multi-Millionaires — Who are they?
By Gwydion M. Williams Do millionaires earn their money through skill and hard work? Millionaires certainly think so. Likewise their right-wing boosters. But just look at the sums involved: it is hard to believe that they deserve that much. Could anyone be hundreds of times better than the rest of us? A Briton making £100,000 a year might indeed have earned … Continue reading Multi-Millionaires — Who are they?
Rail in Public Ownership
RMT Press Office: RMT says damning new financial investigation shows Govia should be stripped of remaining GTR franchise after government nationalises Southeastern. RAIL UNION RMT has called on the government to strip Govia of its Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise and nationalise it after the union published research today raising further questions about the … Continue reading Rail in Public Ownership
Public Ownership is popular
Public ownership is popularThe text below—a slightly abridged Facebook post by the group We Own It—makes you realise how extraordinary it is that Starmer and Reeves explicitly refused to make nationalisation a key policy for a future labour government, when public opinion and influential right wingers are for it. “People are waking up to the … Continue reading Public Ownership is popular
Ditch Blair’s Legacy
Ditch Blair’s legacy — Editorial Starmer became leader of the Labour Party in May 2020 on the basis of a 10 point program that Jeremy Corbyn would have had little problem supporting. Since becoming leader he has had little to say about his 10 point program and has, instead, concentrated his energy on attacking the left wing … Continue reading Ditch Blair’s Legacy
Batley & Spen By-Election — Editorial II
Labour has held on to the Batley & Spen parliamentary constituency with the slenderest of majorities. Labour got 13,296 votes while the Conservatives got 12,973 votes, giving Labour a 323 majority. George Galloway, whose main point in standing as a candidate for the Worker’s Party, was that the Labour Party under Keir Starmer no longer represented working people, … Continue reading Batley & Spen By-Election — Editorial II
Quantitative Easing and Inequality
Q.E. and Inequality Parliament Notes Has QE created more inequality? This was one of the questions examined by the Lords Economic Affairs Committee on Quantitative Easing. (See list of all questions examined below). Some witnesses, such as Paul Tucker, former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, thought that QE did increase inequality. The present Governor, Andrew Bailey, … Continue reading Quantitative Easing and Inequality
Quantitative Easing, or “How will you pay for it?’
Parliament Notes QE, or printing money, is capitalism’s cunning plan to overcome economic and financial crises. In the massive economic crisis of the 1930s, the US state financed public works with money it hadn’t ‘earned’ from taxes. The economies of the US and Europe have practised it since to avoid the worst disasters of the 2007/8 financial … Continue reading Quantitative Easing, or “How will you pay for it?’
National Debt is an Irrelevant Statistic – Editorial
National Debt is an Irrelevant Statistic - Editorial The unifying framework of Sunak’s budget is that the size of the national debt is a critical concern. Hence, he has done the minimum possible to get the country through the next 6 months while sending a clear signal that there will be a return to austerity and increased unemployment … Continue reading National Debt is an Irrelevant Statistic – Editorial
Editorial – Budget Battle Lines
Editorial Budget Battle Lines The next UK budget is on 3rd March. We don’t know what position Sunak will take on the hugely increased fiscal deficit. Will he return to austerity policies quickly or defer for a year? Certainly the Labour Party response to Sunak’s budget will be an opportunity to clearly separate Labour from the Conservatives. There have … Continue reading Editorial – Budget Battle Lines
Labour Affairs 